Perching Birds. 



The Nutcracker. 



THE SIBERIAN 



NUTCRACKER. 



{Nncifriiga 



viacrorlivncha.) 



gregarious like the Rook, man}- couples 

 nesting in the same vicinit}-, and in the 

 autumn small flocks of Jackdaws may be 

 observed in migration. Nesting as it does 

 under cover, the structure which it makes is 

 a slovenly' affair, wantmg the neatness and 

 substantiality of the Crows' nest. The eggs, 

 too, are different from those of the latter 

 birds, being paler and much less plentifully 

 marked. 



It would seem from 

 the recent observations of Mr. Ernst Hartert (Nov. Zool. I\'., pp. 

 131-136) that ornithologists have been in error in supposing that 

 the Nutcracker which occasionally visits England is the Scandi- 

 navian species, the true jV. caryocntactes of Linnaeus. There appear to be four races 

 which have been confounded under the latter heading, viz. : — ^V. caryocatactes from 

 Scandinavia and the Russian Baltic Provinces, N . relicta from the Alps and mountains 

 of Central Europe, N . macyorhyncha from Siberia, and N.japonica from Japan. The 

 Siberian form apparently migrates, whereas the others are stationary, and it is this 

 Siberian bird which invades Europe at certain periods, coming in large numbers, like 

 Pallas' Sand-Grouse and the \\'&y.w\ni^ [Am pells garrnlus). At rare intervals the Nut- 

 cracker visits England. It is a most unmistakeable kind of Crow, having a long thin 

 bill, more slender than that of a Rook, while the upper plumage is varied with triangular 

 spots of white. In their native home these birds are quite early breeders, nesting 

 in March in the pine forests of Europe and Asia. Like other Crows, the Nutcracker is 



almost omnivorous. 



The Jay divides 

 with the Magpie 

 the palm of being 

 the handsomest 

 of our British Comff/rt-, and, though 

 it does not possess the iridescent 

 tints of the latter bird, the beauty 

 of the blue and black barred 

 feathers on the wing is unsur- 

 passed by any of our native birds. 

 Unfortunately the Jay, despite his 

 beauty, has few friends, for he is 

 an unmerciful pilferer of the eggs 

 and young of Game birds, and is 

 i-The Jay. 2 T.n: Mag.me. waged war upon in consequence. 





THE JAY. 



[Gmiulus 



glandarius.) 



V N 



